


Sometimes Grief Doesn't Feel Anything

by Annide



Series: 1998, or the year everything changed [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Australia, F/M, Post-Battle of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 08:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10184801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide
Summary: Hermione Granger's and Ron Weasley's story: After Voldemort's defeat during the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione and Ron set off to get the Grangers back from Australia.





	

                The Battle had ended hours ago. The Great Hall was now bathed in sun. The only people remaining were the friends and families of those who had died. The Elder Wand was destroyed and the trio now knew the truth about Severus Snape's involvement in Dumbledore's plan, in helping them. Hermione was sitting with Harry at a table, out of the way of people's grief. Ron was with his family, waiting for Fred's body to be taken away. Remus and Tonks' bodies had been removed only a few minutes earlier. 

                "I can't imagine how they must be feeling, the Weasleys were all so close."

                "Fred was practically a brother to me, I can't think of what to say to make them feel better. All of this is my fault."

                "Harry, you know that's not true. Everything that happened was because of Voldemort and his followers, and them only."

                "They were after me, if I'd just let them have me instead of fighting then Fred, Remus, Tonks and everyone else would still be alive."

                "They would be, but in what kind of world? If you had let Voldemort get you before we'd found all of the horcruxes, he would still be in power. You made the world better, Harry. And those people who died here went into Battle voluntarily, because they believed in the cause, because they believed in you."

                "Colin Creevey was too young to fight this Battle, he never should've been here."

                "I know, but he came back here on his own, there was nothing you could've done to stop him."

                "I wish there was though."

                "I know, me too."

                "So, what are you going to do now? When will you be heading to Australia to bring your parents back?"

                "I don't know. I'd like to go as soon as possible, but I don't know if I can leave Ron in a time like this. We'll see, he has his entire family here. They can take care of each other."

                "Yeah, or you could bring him with you. After everything we've been through the last few years, a change of air could be good."

                "Maybe you're right. Would you want to come with us? You deserve a break too."

                "I'm Teddy Lupin's godfather, remember? With both his parents dead, he's my responsibility now. I can't travel across the globe with a baby."

                "Oh right."

                "Talking of which, I should probably head off to the Tonks' house and take care of this. I'm not sure Andromeda's heard what happened yet."

                "Well, good luck. I'll make sure we see each other before we leave."

                Harry left and Hermione stayed sitting there alone, until Fred's body was taken away. She could've gone there and waited with the Weasleys, they wouldn't have minded. But she preferred letting them grieve in family. Only them and Lee, who had been Fred's boyfriend.

                Hermione spent the following week preparing their trip to Australia. Ron had agreed to go with her. He thought it sounded like a good idea to get away for a while. They went to Fred's funeral the Saturday after the Battle. Ron seemed upset not to see George there, but Hermione made him understand it was still early for him to see people after the loss of his twin brother. It seemed to calm him. After the ceremony under the rain in the cemetery, Ron and Hermione left at the same time as everyone else, except they didn't go to the Burrow for the wake like most people. They went directly to Australia.

                Part of them felt bad about missing Remus and Tonks' funeral the week after, but Hermione missed her parents deeply and couldn't wait to see them again. As for Ron, he didn't think he could handle more than the one funeral.

                Hermione had no idea where exactly in Australia Wendell and Monica Wilkins had decided to make their lives. This meant her and Ron had to find them first. It took them a few weeks to track them down, even with magic. They finally arrived in a village by the coast, a few hours away from Sidney, by the time June started. Hermione's mom answered the door and her daughter jumped in her arms without thinking. She had missed her so much.

                "Who are you?"

                "Oh right, sorry."

                Hermione undid the Memory Charm she'd cast on Mrs Granger and suddenly her mom's expression changed. She could still remember everything from the past year, but now she'd regained all of her old memories, including those about her daughter.

                "Hermione, you made us forget you? Why would you do such a thing?"

                "I wanted to protect you. I was on the run with Harry, working on destroying this dangerous Dark Lord. I didn't want his followers to find you and use you against me."

                "Oh, darling, it must've been so hard. I suppose if you're here now, it means it's over, is it?"

                "Yes, mom, we're safe now. Where's dad? I need to undo that spell on him too."

                "Your father's gone surfing, he'll be back soon." Mrs Granger said as she started making tea.

                "Dad surfs?" Hermione sat down at the kitchen table, Ron following her lead.

                "One of our colleagues at the practice taught him. Apparently, you can't live so close to the ocean without owning a surf board."

                "I wish I could see that."

                "Maybe we could all go to the beach tomorrow and he'll show you."

                "I'd love that."

                "I see you brought one of your friends along. Is it Ron or Harry? I can never remember which is which."

                "It's Ron. Actually, mom, he's more than my friend now. We're dating."

                "Oh well, then welcome to the family, Ron."

                Mrs Granger put the tea, now ready, on the table and sat next to Hermione. They spent the next few minutes catching up, exchanging stories of their travels, in Australia for one and across Great Britain for the other. Mr Granger came home after an hour. Hermione gave him back his memories and the whole family hugged, happy to be reunited at last. Ron left them alone, went outside and stood near the beach. The wind brushing on his face felt far away, like he wasn't really even there at all, completely unaffected by everything going on around him.

                Hermione spent the next few days being taught surf by her dad and getting reacquainted with her parents, as they lived all together once again. Ron sat on the beach watching in the distance, occasionally giving her a glance. He'd gotten quite silent, numbed by his loss. He felt out of place there. The boy who felt nothing surrounded by this family full of joy.

                In the third week of June, Mrs Granger decided they should all go on a trip so she could show her daughter and her boyfriend what she'd seen with Mr Granger during the past year. Hermione loved the idea so they left the next day.

                The next few days went without a hitch. The Grangers were enjoying this time together, traveling like nothing existed but where they were now. Then, Hermione grew more and more annoyed with Ron. He wasn't participating at all. He simply stood or sat near them, saying nothing, all day long. One night, as June was nearing its end, Hermione decided to confront him in their current hotel room.

                "Why won't you take part in this trip, Ron? My parents think you're odd, or that there's something wrong with you."

                "Maybe there is something wrong with me. Did you think I'd just be fine spending all my time around all this happiness? I should never have come with you."

                "I thought a change of décor would help you. And you agreed."

                "Where we are isn't the problem, Hermione. It's who I'm with, and who I'm not with. You would be fine here by yourself, you're doing great with your family, you don't need me at all."

                "Of course I do."

                "No, you don't. And being here with your family makes me feel awful. Mine needs me and yours is perfectly fine."

                "Maybe if you tried at least. If you stopped sulking all day and actually spent time with us."

                "You don't get it, Hermione!" Ron raised his voice. Hermione was almost relieved to hear emotion coming from him. "My brother died. And your family was perfectly safe the whole time."

                "Because they didn't remember I existed, their own daughter."

                "You did that. Nobody made you."

                "I had to, Ron. They would've been defenceless if anyone attacked them. My family doesn't know magic like yours does."

                "And my family's broken now because of magic. Ginny doesn't answer anyone's letters anymore, Neville heard from Aberforth she's been having nightmares. The fact Aberforth knows this and none of us do can't be a good sign. George won't leave his apartment, or let anyone in. Percy is ridden with guilt about abandoning us all those years. Charlie stayed for an entire month before going back to Romania, he's the lucky one who got to be away from the worst of it. Even then he couldn't set foot in the Burrow after the funeral any more than our brothers. Bill's face is scarred for life. My parents' letters barely say anything, sounds like they don't know how to get past this, but they're also really worried about George. And Harry, who's practically family, isn't doing any better."

                "What about you?" Hermione asked, her voice filled with concern. "How are you doing?"

                Ron sighed. "I don't know honestly. Most of the time I just feel numb. Like nothing affects me. Not pain, not happiness, nothing. I feel nothing. Just empty."

                "Oh, Ron, I'm sorry. I miss Fred too."

                She hugged him and promised they would start putting things in motion for their return home. She didn't want to go without her parents and Ron could understand that. It was time for all of them to think about leaving Australia, after all they had a lot to do and Hermione wanted to be back in time for the new school year at Hogwarts. The Grangers started looking for a new house in Great Britain the next day, since they'd sold the one they had when they left for Australia, an unfortunate consequence of Hermione's memory charm. They decided to keep their new home so they could travel back here every once in a while, and rent it the rest of the time.

                They spent July in that small house by the ocean, preparing their departure. Hermione had become quite a good surfer when August came and it was time for her parents to say goodbye to the friends they'd made over the past year.

                The Weasleys welcomed them back at the airport in mid-August, some of them at least. Ginny was taking her Apparating exam and everyone was glad to learn she was feeling up for that, the worst part having gone by. As he hugged Bill and his parents, Ron felt like being away for a while made it easier to be around his family after what they'd been through. He wasn't afraid to go back to the Burrow, when the time would come.

                Percy had borrowed a Ministry car to drive Ron and the Grangers to their new homes. On the way, he told them George was easing into things and had just reopened Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He hadn't seen him himself yet, only Bill and Fleur had gone by the store so far, outside of customers and employees.

                When they arrived at the London apartment where Ron and Hermione would now live, somewhere halfway between Diagon Alley and Grimmauld Place, Percy put his hand on his little brother's shoulder and smiled. He didn't need to say the words for Ron to understand he was happy they were back in each other's life and sorry for his absence all this time. Ron put his hand on his brother's for a few seconds, gave him a look to show those feelings were accepted and reciprocated, and got out of the car. Hermione hugged her parents, who still had a way to go to get to their suburban home, and followed her boyfriend.

                They had two weeks to be with each other before Hermione went back to Hogwarts and Ron joined Harry at the Ministry. He felt unsure about his future as an auror, but had no idea what else to do. So for now he would embrace the chance to work with his best friend, no matter how long it would last. They had all the time in the world to heal and figure things out.


End file.
